Pope Francis called a meeting at the Vatican to discuss climate change, environmental degradation and human trafficking. But the meeting is taking place while Rome is filled with trash because of a trash collectors' strike.

Hundreds of migrants are sleeping in the rough in Italian train stations and on its border crossings. The stalled travelers are mainly migrants from north Africa who've survived a perilous journey by sea only to be turned back by new, tough restrictions in northern Europe.

John Allen of the Boston Globe usually sits down at the end of the year to write something about the biggest uncovered Catholic stories from the past 12 months. But the longtime Vatican correspondent says he didn’t need to this year, thanks to a news media sensation focused on Pope Francis.

The Vatican is dense with art and history — every arch, piece of art and ceiling has a story to tell. But so do the floors, which are easy to miss. Whether paved with marble from the Coliseum or sporting mosaics from ancient villas, the floors of the Vatican have much to tell.

Pope Francis has already called attention to poverty and inequality, and he's now calling Catholics to pay more notice to the environment. In doing so, he could change not only policy but the way that people view sin and responsibility.

Pope John Paul II was officially declared a a saint just over a week ago. He canonized more saints than any previous pope. Reporter Angelica Marin, who has a saint in her family, makes clear just what it takes to become a saint.

Many Italians are unhappy that their politicians have been carted around in high-end cars, including Jaguars and Maseratis. In an effort to curb government excess, the Italian government has started to auction off its officials' fancy rides.

Oretta Zanini de Vita and Maureen Fant have penned a new book together called "Pasta the Italian Way." The title underscores the fact that Fant takes Italian food very seriously, and strives to keep it as authentic as possible. And no dish is more sacred, Fant says, than spaghetti alla carbonara.

In the European Union, every language is an official language. Government officials speak in the official language of their country, and those comments are then translated into 22, soon to be 23, other languages. All of that costs $1.4 billion per year — and that total will increase when Croatian becomes an official language later this year.

Frontline's new documentary, "Secrets of the Vatican," uses leaked documents and interviews to expose turmoil, corruption and abuse in the final year of Pope Benedict's papacy. It's a legacy that Pope Francis is now trying to overcome.

John Allen of the Boston Globe usually sits down at the end of the year to write something about the biggest uncovered Catholic stories from the past 12 months. But the longtime Vatican correspondent says he didn’t need to this year, thanks to a news media sensation focused on Pope Francis.

Pope Francis has already called attention to poverty and inequality, and he's now calling Catholics to pay more notice to the environment. In doing so, he could change not only policy but the way that people view sin and responsibility.

Italy's historic Colosseum has been showing its age in recent years. There are cracks in the walls and pieces have even been falling off. But, with Italy's budget in a crunch, the government had to turn to private funds, from Tod's owner Diego Della Valle, to fix it up.

Pope Francis has already called attention to poverty and inequality, and he's now calling Catholics to pay more notice to the environment. In doing so, he could change not only policy but the way that people view sin and responsibility.

Frontline's new documentary, "Secrets of the Vatican," uses leaked documents and interviews to expose turmoil, corruption and abuse in the final year of Pope Benedict's papacy. It's a legacy that Pope Francis is now trying to overcome.

John Allen of the Boston Globe usually sits down at the end of the year to write something about the biggest uncovered Catholic stories from the past 12 months. But the longtime Vatican correspondent says he didn’t need to this year, thanks to a news media sensation focused on Pope Francis.

Oretta Zanini de Vita and Maureen Fant have penned a new book together called "Pasta the Italian Way." The title underscores the fact that Fant takes Italian food very seriously, and strives to keep it as authentic as possible. And no dish is more sacred, Fant says, than spaghetti alla carbonara.

The Sochi Olympics start this week, and the city has a new problem: dogs. They have a solution, but its almost as outrageous as the problem. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, mayors are asking the government for permission to grow weed. And Japanese whalers are clashing with protesters off Antarctica, in today's Global Scan.

The Vatican is dense with art and history — every arch, piece of art and ceiling has a story to tell. But so do the floors, which are easy to miss. Whether paved with marble from the Coliseum or sporting mosaics from ancient villas, the floors of the Vatican have much to tell.

Pope Francis called a meeting at the Vatican to discuss climate change, environmental degradation and human trafficking. But the meeting is taking place while Rome is filled with trash because of a trash collectors' strike.

Hundreds of migrants are sleeping in the rough in Italian train stations and on its border crossings. The stalled travelers are mainly migrants from north Africa who've survived a perilous journey by sea only to be turned back by new, tough restrictions in northern Europe.